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At least 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2006

Kinematics of Strong Discontinuities

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) provides a detailed view of the Arctic ice cover. When processed with the RADARSAT Geophysical Processor System (RGPS), it provides estimates of sea ice motion and deformation over large regions of the Arctic for extended periods of time. The deformation is dominated by the appearance of linear kinematic features that have been associated with the presence of leads. The RGPS deformation products are based on the assumption that the displacement and velocity are smooth functions of the spatial coordinates. However, if the dominant deformation of multiyear ice results from the opening, closing and shearing of leads, then the displacement and velocity can be discontinuous. This presentation discusses the kinematics associated with strong discontinuities that describe possible jumps in displacement or velocity. Ice motion from SAR data are analyzed using this framework. It is assumed that RGPS cells deform due to the presence of a lead. The lead orientation is calculated to optimally account for the observed deformation. It is shown that almost all observed deformation can be represented by lead opening and shearing. The procedure used to reprocess motion data to account for leads will be described and applied to regions of the Beaufort Sea. The procedure not only provides a new view of ice deformation, it can be used to obtain information about the presence of leads for initialization and/or validation of numerical simulations.

Peterson, K.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Finite elastic-plastic deformation of polycrystalline metals

Applying Hill's self-consistent method to finite elastic-plastic deformations, the overall moduli of polycrystalline solids are estimated. The model predicts a Bauschinger effect, hardening, and formation of vertex or corner on the yield surface for both microscopically non-hardening and hardening crystals. The changes in the instantaneous moduli with deformation are examined, and their asymptotic behavior, especially in relation to possible localization of deformations, is discussed. An interesting conclusion is that small second-order quantities, such as shape changes of grains and residual stresses (measured relative to the crystal elastic moduli), have a first-order effect on the overall response, as they lead to a loss of the overall stability by localized deformation. The predicted incipience of localization for a uniaxial deformation in two dimensions depends on the initial yield strain, but the orientation of localization is slightly less than 45 deg with respect to the tensile direction, although the numerical instability makes it very difficult to estimate this direction accurately.

Iwakuma, T.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Space geodetic measurement of crustal deformation in central and southern California, 1984-1992

We estimate the velocity field in central and southern California using Global Positioning System (GPS) observations from 1986 to 1992 and very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations from 1984 to 1991. Our core network includes 12 GPS sites spaced approximately 50 km apart, mostly in the western Transverse Ranges and the coastal Borderlands. The precision and accuracy of the relative horizontal velocities estimated for these core stations are adequately described by a 95% confidence ellipse with a semiminor axis of approximately 2 mm/yr oriented roughly north-south, and a semimajor axis of approximately 3 mm/yr oriented east-west.

Feigl, Kurt L.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Constraints on interseismic deformation at Japan trench from VLBI data

Space geodetic data from very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) was used to estimate velocity relative to the plate interiors of two sites on the deforming leading edge at the Japan trench. Elastic models of interseismic deformation and results obtained were used to put constraints on the slip rate along the main thrust of the Japan subduction zone. Observed velocities reflect the sum of permanent west-northwest shortening in Honshu, elastic deformation due to locking of the main thrust fault at the Japan trench, and deformation associated with the subducting Phillipine plate. These velocities limit the locked segment of the main thrust at the Japan trench to 27 km vertically and 100 km along the dip. This indicates that the main Pacific plate thrust fault is not strongly coupled and probably does not generate strong earthquakes.

Argus, Donald F.↗
NASA NTRS2012

A First Order Wavefront Estimation Algorithm for P1640 Calibrator

P1640 calibrator is a wavefront sensor working with the P1640 coronagraph and the Palomar 3000 actuator adaptive optics system (P3K) at the Palomar 200 inch Hale telescope. It measures the wavefront by interfering post-coronagraph light with a reference beam formed by low-pass filtering the blocked light from the coronagraph focal plane mask. The P1640 instrument has a similar architecture to the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) and its performance is currently limited by the quasi-static speckles due to non-common path wavefront errors, which comes from the non-common path for the light to arrive at the AO wavefront sensor and the coronagraph mask. By measuring the wavefront after the coronagraph mask, the non-common path wavefront error can be estimated and corrected by feeding back the error signal to the deformable mirror (DM) of the P3K AO system. Here, we present a first order wavefront estimation algorithm and an instrument calibration scheme used in experiments done recently at Palomar observatory. We calibrate the P1640 calibrator by measuring its responses to poking DM actuators with a sparse checkerboard pattern at different amplitudes. The calibration yields a complex normalization factor for wavefront estimation and establishes the registration of the DM actuators at the pupil camera of the P1640 calibrator, necessary for wavefront correction. Improvement of imaging quality after feeding back the wavefront correction to the AO system demonstrated the efficacy of the algorithm.

Wavefront sensing↗
DOE OSTI2023

Parametric estimation of Poisson's ratio for thin hinged-hinged plates

Cornu's method is an elegant calculation besieged by an impractical approach to obtain accurate estimates for Poisson's ratio. Conventionally, Cornu's method requires several components, and each component can adversely affect the accuracy of the measurement. Furthermore, Cornu's conventional method requires a long beam because beams with short length-to-width ratios cause the estimate of Poisson's ratio to diverge from the true value of Poisson's ratio. We believe that, with the right modifications, Cornu's method can become an attractive approach to obtaining precise estimates for Poisson's ratio from mode shapes. Here we use finite element simulations to show how to use Cornu's method to estimate Poisson's ratio from a mode shape. Our modified Cornu's method removes knife-edges and loading components for a hinged-hinged plate under steady-state excitation. Given the true value of Poisson's ratio, as a performance specification, we show that simple parametric expressions can fit estimates for Poisson's ratio for different length-to-width ratios of thin hinged-hinged plates. Additionally, we show that estimates for Poisson's ratio from higher modes align with the results from the first mode and explain our expectation for this outcome. Furthermore, our results challenge the idea that anticlastic, monoclastic, and synclastic deformation uniquely correspond to positive, zero, and negative estimates of Poisson's ratio, respectively. With the emergence of materials-by-design, we expect that this parametric technique will be able to assist in experimental qualification of thin beam and plate structures with respect to the desired value of Poisson's ratio.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS1996

Venusian k(sub 2) Tidal Love Number from Magellan and PVO Tracking Data

The k(sub 2) potential ove number which scales the tidal deformation of Venus by the Sun has been estimated from Doppler tracking of Magellan and Pioneer Venus Orbiter (PVO) spacecraft data. The nominal range for k(sub 2) from theoretical models is 0.23(less than or equal to)k(sub 2)(less than or equal to)0.29 for a liquid iron core and about 0.17 if the iron core has solidified. Our best estimate of this parameter is k(sub 2) = 0.295 +/- 0.662 (2X formal {delta}) and supports the hypothesis that Venus core is solid.

orbiter pvo↗
NASA NTRS1986

A study of tectonic activity in the Basin-Range Province and on the San Andreas Fault. No. 1: Kinematics of Basin-Range intraplate extension

Strain rates assessed from brittle fracture and total brittle-ductile deformation measured from geodetic data were compared to estimates of paleo-strain from Quaternary geology for the intraplate Great Basin part of the Basin-Range, western United States. These data provide an assessment of the kinematics and mode of lithospheric extension that the western U.S. Cordillera has experienced from the past few million years to the present. Strain and deformation rates were determined by the seismic moment tensor method using historic seismicity and fault plane solutions for sub-regions of homogeneous strain. Contemporary deformation in the Great Basin occurs principally along the active seismic zones. The integrated opening rate across the entire Great Basin is accommodated by E-E extension at 8 to 10 mm/a in the north that diminishes to NW-SE extension of 3.5 mm/a in the south. Zones of maximum lithospheric extension correspond to belts of thin crust, high heat flow, and Quaternary basaltic volcanism, suggesting that these parameters are related through mechanism of extension such as a stress relaxation, allowing bouyant uplift and ascension of magmas.

Eddington, P. K.↗
DOE OSTI2024

PigmentHunter: A point-and-click application for automated chlorophyll-protein simulations

Chlorophyll proteins (CPs) are the workhorses of biological photosynthesis, working together to absorb solar energy, transfer it to chemically active reaction centers, and control the charge-separation process that drives its storage as chemical energy. Yet predicting CP optical and electronic properties remains a serious challenge, driven by the computational difficulty of treating large, electronically coupled molecular pigments embedded in a dynamically structured protein environment. To address this challenge, we introduce here an analysis tool called PigmentHunter, which automates the process of preparing CP structures for molecular dynamics (MD), running short MD simulations on the nanoHUB.org science gateway, and then using electrostatic and steric analysis routines to predict optical absorption, fluorescence, and circular dichroism spectra within a Frenkel exciton model. Inter-pigment couplings are evaluated using point-dipole or transition-charge coupling models, while site energies can be estimated using both electrostatic and ring-deformation approaches. The package is built in a Jupyter Notebook environment, with a point-and-click interface that can be used either to manually prepare individual structures or to batch-process many structures at once. Here, we illustrate PigmentHunter’s capabilities with example simulations on spectral line shapes in the light harvesting 2 complex, site energies in the Fenna–Matthews–Olson protein, and ring deformation in photosystems I and II.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS1988

The earthquake deformation cycle - Examples from South America and the western United States

Observations of an interplate, thrust earthquake in Argentina are used to characterize a cyclic pattern of earthquake deformation. The cycle consists of steady strain accumulation, coseismic strain release, a period of continued strain release due to afterslip, and rapid postseismic strain accumulations which decrease exponentially and grade into steady strain accumulation. The cycle is used to interpret the deformation of three earthquakes in California, Alaska, and Montana, focusing on the mechanics of strain release. The results suggest that large postseismic movements can occur for strike-slip, thrust, and normal fault events. It is found that viscoelastic relaxation and postseismic afterslip should be incorporated in models of earthquake-related deformation. The use of these results for estimating earthquake repeat times from geodetic observations near active faults is considered.

Reilinger, Robert↗
NASA NTRS1990

Geoscience Laser Ranging System - Estimated accuracy of geodetic parameters and their dependence on system characteristics

Covariance analysis of the performance of the Geoscience Laser Ranging System (GLRS) indicates that three-dimensional relative positions can be recovered to an accuracy of several millimeters over spatial scales from a few kilometers to several hundred kilometers and over temporal scales as short as several days. The key factors influencing the accuracy are range noise, number of targets and their locations, system pointing capability, dwell time on the targets, orbital geometry, and gravity field uncertainties. Based on the present trade-off studies, GLRS is designed to provide range measurements with 10 mm or better accuracy, fire at a rate of 40 pulses-per-second, point over a cone extending to 50 deg from nadir, and operate with a dwell time on individual targets of 2 s or less. Given a strain rate of 10 to the -14th/s, estimated GLRS accuracy parameters suggest that the deformation can be detected in less than a month if it extends over 100 km and in less than 6 months if it extends over 10 km.

Cohen, Steven C.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Surface Deformation and Seismicity Linked to Fluid Injection in the Raton Basin

Abstract It is suggested that in addition to seismicity deep fluid injection may cause surface uplift and subsidence in oil and gas‐producing regions. This study uses the Raton Basin as an example to investigate the hydromechanical processes of surface uplift and subsidence during wastewater injection. The Raton Basin, in southern central Colorado and northern central New Mexico, has experienced wastewater injection related to coalbed methane and gas production starting in 1994. In this study, we estimate the extent and magnitude of total vertical deformation in the Raton Basin from 1994 to 2020 and incremental deformation between the years 2017 to 2020. Results indicate a modeled uplift as much as 15 cm occurring between 1994 and 2020. Between 2017 and 2020, up to 3 cm of uplift occurred, largely near the northwestern injection wells. Most modeled uplift between 1994 and 2020 occurred near the southern wells, where the greatest cumulative volume of wastewater was injected. However, modeled subsidence occurred around the southern and eastern wells between 2017 and 2020, after the rate of injection decreased. Modeling indicates that while the magnitude of modeled uplift corresponds to cumulative injection volume and maximum rate in the long‐term, short‐term incremental deformation (uplift or subsidence) is controlled by changes in the rate of injection. The number of yearly earthquake events follows periods of rapid modeled uplifting throughout the Basin, suggesting that measurable surface deformation may be caused by the same injection‐induced pore pressure perturbations that initiate seismicity.

Geology↗
NASA NTRS2013

Modeling Delamination in Postbuckled Composite Structures Under Static and Fatigue Loads

The ability of the Abaqus progressive Virtual Crack Closure Technique (VCCT) to model delamination in composite structures was investigated for static, postbuckling, and fatigue loads. Preliminary evaluations were performed using simple Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) and Mixed-Mode Bending (MMB) specimens. The nodal release sequences that describe the propagation of the delamination front were investigated. The effect of using a sudden or a gradual nodal release was evaluated by considering meshes aligned with the crack front as well as misaligned meshes. Fatigue simulations were then performed using the Direct Cyclic Fatigue (DCF) algorithm. It was found that in specimens such as the DCB, which are characterized by a nearly linear response and a pure fracture mode, the algorithm correctly predicts the Paris Law rate of propagation. However, the Abaqus DCF algorithm does not consider different fatigue propagation laws in different fracture modes. Finally, skin/stiffener debonding was studied in an aircraft fuselage subcomponent in which debonding occurs deep into post-buckling deformation. VCCT was shown to be a robust tool for estimating the onset propagation. However, difficulties were found with the ability of the current implementation of the Abaqus progressive VCCT to predict delamination propagation within structures subjected to postbuckling deformations or fatigue loads.

Bisagni, Chiara↗
NASA NTRS1993

Geodetic measurement of deformation in the Ventura basin region, southern California

We have measured the deformation in the Ventura basin region, southern California, with Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements carried out over 4.6 years between 1987 and 1992. The deformation within our network is spatically variable on scales of tens of kilometers, with strain rates reaching 0.6 +/- 1 micro-rad/yr in the east-central basin. Blocklike rotations are observed south and northwest of the basin where the maximum shear strain rates are an order of magnitude lower (0.06 +/- 1 micro-rad/yr to the south). We also observed clockwise rotations of 1 deg - 7 deg/m.y. Shear strain rates determined by comparing angle changes from historical triangulation spanning several decades and GPS measurements give consistent, though less precise, results. The geodetic rates of shortening across the basin and Western Transverse Ranges are lower than those estimated from geological observations, but the patterns of deformation from the two methods agree qualitatively.

Donnellan, Andrea↗
NASA NTRS1985

Mechanisms of Basalt-plains Ridge Formation

The morphologic similarities between the Columbia Plateau ridges and ridges on the Moon, Mercury and Mars form a strong basis for the interpretation of basalt-plains ridges as compressional folds. The basalt-plains ridges appear to have formed on competent flood basalt units deformed at the surface with essentially no confining pressure. Estimates of compressive strain for planetary ridges range from a few tenths of a percent on the Moon to up to 0.4% on Mars, to as high as 35% for Columbia Plateau folds with associated thrust faults. Such values have strong implications for both deformational mechanisms as well as for the source of stress. Deformational mechanisms that will attempt to account for the morphology, fold geometry, possible associated thrust faulting and regular spacing of the basalt-plains ridges on the terrestrial planets are under investigation.

Watters, T. R.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Integration of a code for aeroelastic design of conventional and composite wings into ACSYNT, an aircraft synthesis program

A comparison of program estimates of wing weight, material distribution. structural loads and elastic deformations with actual Northrop F-5A/B data is presented. Correlation coefficients obtained using data from a number of existing aircraft were computed for use in vehicle synthesis to estimate wing weights. The modifications necessary to adapt the WADES code for use in the ACSYNT program are described. Basic program flow and overlay structure is outlined. An example of the convergence of the procedure in estimating wing weights during the synthesis of a vehicle to satisfy F-5 mission requirements is given. A description of inputs required for use of the WADES program is included.

Mullen, J., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Stress Recovery and Error Estimation for 3-D Shell Structures

The C1-continuous stress fields obtained from finite element analyses are in general lower- order accurate than are the corresponding displacement fields. Much effort has focussed on increasing their accuracy and/or their continuity, both for improved stress prediction and especially error estimation. A previous project developed a penalized, discrete least squares variational procedure that increases the accuracy and continuity of the stress field. The variational problem is solved by a post-processing, 'finite-element-type' analysis to recover a smooth, more accurate, C1-continuous stress field given the 'raw' finite element stresses. This analysis has been named the SEA/PDLS. The recovered stress field can be used in a posteriori error estimators, such as the Zienkiewicz-Zhu error estimator or equilibrium error estimators. The procedure was well-developed for the two-dimensional (plane) case involving low-order finite elements. It has been demonstrated that, if optimal finite element stresses are used for the post-processing, the recovered stress field is globally superconvergent. Extension of this work to three dimensional solids is straightforward. Attachment: Stress recovery and error estimation for shell structure (abstract only). A 4-node, shear-deformable flat shell element developed via explicit Kirchhoff constraints (abstract only). A novel four-node quadrilateral smoothing element for stress enhancement and error estimation (abstract only).

Riggs, H. R.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Status Report on Design of In-situ Thermomechanical Testing at LANSCE

Nuclear fuel encounters severe thermomechanical environments in which its mechanical response is determined by its microstructure, temperature and stress level histories. Simulating the response of such microstructures is crucial for predicting both performance and transient fuel mechanical responses and experimental verification of such predictions is therefore of great interest. While most of the deformation in a nuclear fuel rod occurs in the cladding, deformation of the fuel itself is still of interest with deformation mechanisms at operating temperature and above including creep, swelling, cracking as well as pellet-clad interaction. Characterization of these properties and understanding of the underlying deformation phenomena at operating or excursion temperatures is therefore of great importance for development and ultimately licensing of improved and novel nuclear fuel forms. Diffraction techniques offer unique insight on the atomistic (e.g. crystal structure) and microstructure (e.g. phase transformations, texture, defects) length scales and have a long history of providing unique data to inform relevant deformation models that enable the required predictive capabilities. For example, dislocations lead to diffraction peak broadening that can be characterized to estimate the dislocation density and study the role of dislocations on the deformation while measuring lattice strains allows to studie load sharing in two phase materials. In this report the requirements for a sample environment for high temperature deformation of nuclear fuels are defined. The HIPPO neutron time-of-flight diffractometer at LANSCE will host this sample environment and is also described. This instrument covers diffraction angles from 140° to 40° and is also equipped with an event-mode neutron imaging detector system, enabling energy-resolved neutron imaging in parallel with the diffraction that could measure sample temperature from Doppler broadening of neutron absorption resonances or measure pore densities from changes in the attenuation. Designs of devices to characterize thermomechanical properties of nuclear fuel without diffraction are also considered to guide the design. While this report is focused on applications for nuclear fuels, the device can also characterize cladding, moderator or structural materials and therefore contribute to other fields of research and development for advanced reactors. The temperatures planned to be reached are above 2000℃, thus enabling characterization of LWR reactor fuels under accident scenarios but also reaching temperatures of fuels developed for nuclear thermal propulsion and providing opportunities to characterize those. In conjunction with the energy-resolved neutron imaging detector, this setup would allow to measure neutron cross-sections at high temperatures, filling a gap towards development of reactors operating at high temperatures.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗